


Spirit Of The Seasons

by Otaku6337



Series: Ota's One-Shot Wonders [6]
Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Anime/Manga Fusion, But could easily be friendship, Character Study, Everyone Loves Natsume Takashi, Explanations, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Natsume/Tanuma, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, In a way, Natsume Takashi Protection Squad, One Shot Collection, Seasons, addressing a difference between the anime and manga, but also anime VS manga, last chapter is kind of a, like literal seasons not season 1 season 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2020-10-04 18:01:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20475230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Otaku6337/pseuds/Otaku6337
Summary: Natsume might be a human, but he's still a spirit of the seasons, and his family revel in it.(A compilation of different reasons for canon variations - all in little stories comprised largely of fluff and comfort.)





	1. When Winter Comes Knocking

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired purely by the disparities in Natsume's colouring between the anime and manga. Because, I've gotta be honest, I love both versions of this precious boy, so I thought why couldn't he be both? And here's my explanation-story-ramble about it!
> 
> PS: I could add more, but I doubt I will unless I end up receiving any particular requests. Thanks for reading!

On the day where autumn turned to winter, Natsume came into school with silver hair and green eyes. Ever since they'd met him, his eyes had glowed gold, his hair had been gilded. Yet today he arrived and those golden locks had not faded, but paled, morphing into something else equally precious. And his eyes, oh his eyes. Their haunted depths and bright warmth was no longer amber but now emeralds, embedded in that moon-light face.

"Natsume!" comes the cry from Nishimura as he rushes forward to his slighter friend. Skidding to a stop in front of Natsume, he reaches up a hand to paw at the silver hair.

"Uhm- I-"

"This is _so cool!_ " 

"I- What?" Natsume floundered, clearly confused, not quite flinching away, flushed and gobsmacked all at once.

"It's so pretty! Where did you get it done? Wait, no that doesn't matter, we gotta show the others. It looks amazing; so cool!" And with that, Nishimura is grabbing his hand and dragging him to find the rest of their friends. Spluttering and uncertain - because the hyperactive boy hadn't freaked out, or at least not negatively - the younger allowed himself to be dragged to the adjacent classroom.

"Acchan! Tanuma! Look, look. Isn't Natsume's new look super cool!"

"You've said it was cool three times now," he was feeling a little petulant now, not liking how everybody in the class had turned their attention to him. It wasn't his fault his hair and eyes changed.

"Hush you! And that's because it is!"

"It does suit you really well," Tanuma added as Kitamoto ushered their little group back out into the hallway. Less staring this way.

"Why did you do it? How did you do it? Contacts and dye?" Natsume could only shrug and smile a little,

"It's winter, that's all."

"What does that even mean?" whined Nishimura, yet again running his fingers through the fine hair.

This time, Natsume managed not to flinch at all, rather leaning into the kind, curious touch.

“It looks great either way,” Kitamoto reassured, glaring at Nishimura a little for being so pushy.

“It really does,” Tanuma added emphatically, looking a little star-struck. And with that, the commotion died down, the bell rung and they all rushed back into their respective classrooms.

Walking home that afternoon, once they’d split off from the rest of their friends, Tanuma checked they were alone and blurted the question he’d been desperate to ask all day, “It’s not a curse, is it? You’re alright; nothing’s happened?”

“No, don’t worry. This is isn’t a yokai thing… or at least not directly, I’m not sure. It’s always happened. Spring and winter, I have green and silver. But as soon as summer comes back around, it reverses to amber and blond. I-“ he hesitated for a second, and Tanuma allowed their hands to brush in comfort. Natume took a deep breath and continued, voice even lower and less steady, “I was scared this year. Normally it would- would just mean moving again. Sometimes I even got away with saying I dyed it the last few years. But I couldn’t bare the thought-“ He stopped, shuddering, and Tanuma slowly, oh so slowly, telegraphing every movement, wrapped an arm around the shorter boy’s shoulders.

“I get it. But that won’t happen here. You belong here after all.” And it was all worth the bright, shy grin he got in return.

It was two days later when Touko and Shigeru returned from a short trip and arrived to find Natsume and Tanuma playing with Nyanko-Sensei in the snow. A hat covered the back of their charge’s head.

“Takashi-kun, we’re home! Hello there Tanuma-kun.” Touko greeted as they walked into the garden.

“Touko-san; Shigeru-san!” came Natsume’s excited voice and he spun around to see them. Vibrant green eyes, jade reflecting moonlight, were wide in delight. Bangs a shining, metallic version of the snow swung with the movement, brushing over long, pale eyelashes. His hair needed a trim.

“Oh, Takashi-kun, your eyes!” The boy instantly froze, a frightened expression crashing over his features, but she went on,  
“They’re so pretty! Oh, Shigeru-san, look! Like emeralds. How lovely.” Touko hurried forward to cup their boy’s cheeks, thumbs brushing just below those beautiful eyes. Their Natsume was a little odd, and strange things like this often happened around him, but they didn’t matter. Particularly when they could be such charming things at times.

“They are stunning,” the man agreed, bending a little to get a proper look,  
“And matching hair. Very good.” Leaving it at that, as Natsume’s flush was reaching ridiculous proportions, he and Touko headed inside. Just before he closed the genkan door, he heard Tanuma-kun speak,

“See? Told you they’d be fine with it.” Their boy had such good friends.

Natori rung Natsume to arrange a meet-up a week or so before Christmas. And, walking down the street to the Fujiwara household, he triple-checked the two bags in his hands. One for the Fujiwaras themselves, because they were very kind to him whenever they saw him, never pushy or awestruck or contemptuous, and they were clearly good for Natsume, and then of course he had a bag for the boy himself. Rough, hurt Nastume who was so foolishly kind and loyal. Silly brat.

Knocking on the genkan door, he was immediately admitted by a smiling Touko-san, and he proffered her bag with a,  
"This is for yourself and Shigeru-san. A little something, as thanks for being so wonderful to Takashi."

"Oh, thank you! You needn't have, but it's terribly sweet of you. Come in, come in, sit down. Would you like some tea whilst you wait for Takashi-kun?" The two chatted for a short while, only small-talk, until they heard Nyanko-sensei come thundering down the stairs followed by the far softer human footfalls.

"Natori! You're here already." But Natori was barely listening, instead staring at the changes to the teen he saw as a little brother of sorts. Shaking himself out of it, he turned his attention to Touko-san, thanking her for the tea, leaving Natsume's bag on his now vacated seat and hurried them out of the house with a smile.

"What happened? Do you need any yokai exorcising?" he hissed as soon as they'd closed the door behind them.

"No? Why?" Nastume was obviously bewildered and, behind that, a little concerned.

“Your hair! And eyes!”

“Oh, that. I’d forgotten you hadn’t seen me in winter yet. This always happens, don’t worry. It’s nothing.”

“Nothing?! But-! That’s not _normal_, Takashi.”

“I _know_,” Natsume glared. Dammit, he hadn’t meant it like that-

“I didn’t mean it was bad, okay? I was just worried. But this happens every year? And it’s only your colouring? Nothing else changes? It’s definitely not a curse or possession?”

“It’s not. On the first day of winter, my hair goes silver and my eyes turn green. First day of summer, they turn back to blond hair and brown eyes. It’s _fine_.”

“Okay.” Natori blew out a massive breath, trying to slow down his heartrate.

“Sorry for being so pushy. I thought you were possessed or something! But it looks very good on you. Bet you’re fighting off all the ladies, aren’t you?” he teased, determined to lighten the mood. Well, Natsume punched him in the arm, flushed, so he can’t have done too bad a job.


	2. And When Summer Returns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a continuation. The TanuNatsu is a little more pronounced, but could still be viewed as friendship, I think??? Enjoy!

A bleary-eyed Natsume stumbles downstairs, still in his pyjamas. It is Sunday after all, and he has no plans to meet up with his friends until the afternoon.

"Good morning Takashi- Oh! They're back." Touko-san is at the stove, turned to face him, and her smile is as soft and sweet as ever.

"What are?" he asks, confused. Shigeru-san chuckles, looking up from his newspaper,

"Your hair and eyes are back to gold, is all. You know, I'm not sure which I prefer, are you Touko?"

"They're both so lovely - don't ask impossible questions!" she chides playfully, turning her attention back to the food. With a smile just as kind as his wife's, Shigeru-san returns his gaze to his newspaper, leaving Natsume to stare at them both. How had he gotten so lucky?

He's torn from his thoughts by Nyanko-sensei headbutting his leg semi-gently, only making him stumble a little. Scowling half-heartedly at the pushy creature, Natsume goes to take his place at the table. It doesn't matter how, the point is that he _is_ so lucky.

Turning up at school that day, he considers himself lucky to come across Tanuma first.

"Natsu-! Oh, wow..." The taller boy trailed off, slack-jawed.

"Is it not- okay?" Natsume looked nervous now, the same way he had back at the beginning of winter. And Tanuma hated it. Hated that he'd caused that reversion in Natsume.

"No, it's okay- it's more than okay! I'd just kind of... forgotten how this looked. Both- um, I like both." The awkward stuttering made both of them flush, a group of upper year girls tittering as they walked past. 

"...thanks." They were both so awkward. Why was social interaction so difficult?

"Guys! Natsu, your hair! So cool!"

"That's what you said last time," Natsume dead-panned, increasingly comfortable with how Nishimura began pawing the golden strands. There had been a fair few weeks of it last winter and when all of his friends noticed how the pale boy _melted_ when his head was petted. Well, they just didn't stop doing it.

"I'm not sure which I prefer," Kitamoto added.

"Shigeru-san and Touko-san said the same thing," Natsume offered quietly. He received grins in return. Happy, surrounded by his friends and oh-so-pleased (relileved) for being simply accepted, no difficult questions asked and no explanations required, Natsume allowed himself to relax. He was so very, very lucky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nishimura calling Natsume 'Natsu' is my headcanon - Natsume is too uncomfortable to be called Takashi yet, and he can still be anxious with touch, but he needs to show his affection somehow!!!  
And sorry it's so short (400-500 words I think) but most of the things I wanted to talk about I used up in the first chap, so here's this thing??? I still enjoyed writing it though!


	3. Human-tinted Glasses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Mrz_Ryuu, and their brilliant alternative solution to the anime/manga colouring, I've got a third chapter. It's technically a different AU, but it fit so nicely together that I left them to be in the same work. Enjoy, and thanks to Mrz_Ryuu again!

When Tanuma Kaname first saw Natsume, his vision blurred like the other boy was a bonfire, burning too bright and too hot, distorting the air, the very world, around him. Then that mirage was gone, and the blazing golden boy was left, too pale and too bright all at once. Yet now and then that distortion returns, in flashes of mercury-silver and glints of shattered emeralds. Those moments send a spike of pain through his head, shattering his skull for an instance before that beautiful, ethereal image was gone again. He lived for those moments, regardless of the pain. Any glimpse of the yokai world, particularly such a beautiful, harmless part of it, was worth that.

Regardless, Tanuma was one of the very few aware of how different Natsume looked to yokai and to humans, or to exorcists. Maybe it wasn't a massive change, really, but it was stark to see it in those little flashes. Whilst the Natsume that most people saw, the golden haired and amber eyed boy, pale skin like the moon, only healthy looking when reflecting the warmth of his own features, was stunning, and had led to many girls, and a few boys, harbouring severe crushes on the mysterious, charming, transfer student who looked so happy to talk about his friends or the Fujiwaras.

Nyanko-sensei saw both sides to his boy too. Sorry, his prey. In his maneki neko form, eating Touko's fried shrimp or Nanatsuyuji's meat buns, or trying to escape the Taki-girl's relentless grip, he saw the idiot brat with wheat hair and eyes the colour of sunlight on sand. He'd see hair sparking like straw amongst embers, as the sun sets and the boy flees some low-class food-pincher, leaving Nyanko only being able to transform, his own grander, white-furred and citrus-eyed form echoing the instantly different shades of Natsume, hair now silver and streaming like strings of cloud, thin and wispy and almost intangible, eyes evergreen, deeper, darker, more haunted than Madara's in a way that harks back to his humanity, yet is so ethereal as to be almost pure 'yokai' in nature.

Neither the Fujiwaras nor their human friends saw this other side of Natsume. They only saw a child of gold, burnished by life and lacking lustre, yet still pure and good and true beneath. They saw shades of barley and bronze and cats' eyes, even without the spiritual view, and were entranced, adoring. These humans were the simple ones, the ones who didn't have to deal with the two sides, only seeing him through human-tinted glasses.

The exorcists, Natori, Matoba, all the others, see both. Like Tanuma, they catch glimpses of one, but their sight is almost layered upon the other. In eyes of molten amber, they see flecks of jade. In amongst gilt locks, they spot strands of moonlight. Most of them are quick to assume that Natsume has only one colouring, one appearance that all see, not realising the depth of the boy's powers. After all, he is an untrained child, with only spiritual might. Why would he possess a yokai form and a human one? The very idea would be absurd.

Or so they all think. Until one day, a few towns over with Tanuma and, of course, Nyanko-sensei, Natsume crosses paths with Natori. Sending the boy and his cat to claim a table, much to both of their protests, the two begin to talk, primarily about said boy.

"So, Natori-san, do you always see his silver hair and green eyes, or is it only in flashes like me?"

"What do you mean?" The actor asks, taking his attention from an overhead menu to the tall boy next to him, confused and trying not to portray concern. His acting skills aren't purely for his career after all.

"Well, Natsume has- two appearances, I guess? His normal, human one, with the golden hair and eyes. Then the silver-hair and green-eyes one. I guess it's like a yokai version, because I sometimes get little glimpses of it."

"There's two separate looks?"

"Yes...?" And Tanuma's beginning to worry that he shouldn't have said this. What if he just got Natsume into trouble?

"I only see one. But he does have little spots of green in his eyes, and his hair shines silver half the time, particularly certain sections of it. How peculiar."

"Uh, yeh," Tanuma agrees, both considerably confused and still somewhat concerned.

"Still. It doesn't matter really, although I don't think we should mention it to anybody else, don't you think?" And wow, okay, that's not a threat, Tanuma can tell. But he can also sense just how quickly that might become a threat. An unnecessary one, because he will protect Natsume however he can, but still.

Everybody sees different sides of Natsume. Some see purely the human: the boy was was golden and odd, but charming and sweet. Some see purely the spirit-seer: the boy was silver and green, ethereal yet blunt, fleeing and fighting. The luckiest and least-fortunate see both: gold and silver, shadow and light, kindness and ferocity.

All of them saw Natsume Takashi. They just didn't know it.


	4. Without Tinted Vision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected continuation of 'Human-tinted Glasses' thanks to KidWestHope16 and their lovely comments!

Natsume doesn't like to look in the mirror. There's something about his reflection that disturbs, perturbs him. Maybe it's the ugly mish-mash of grey and blond hair, or the weird green-flecked dull-brown eyes, some days wholly one or the other but no better for it. Or maybe it's the pallid skin contrasting against the dark bags beneath his eyes in a way that jars him, setting his teeth on edge, wanting nothing more to lash out at the mirror in front of him, as if shattering the tempered glass might somehow erase all of his faces, all of his lies and facades.

Natsume sees himself and sees something wrong, broken, unwanted. Something without a place or purpose. An abomination.

Then he's taken in by the Fujiwaras. Then he finds friends in Nishimura and Kitamato and Taki and so many people. He finds something a little more in Tanuma; someone who almost understands, who stays close to him, who protects him and fights both for and with him, all in the name of helping him. He finds something a little different in Natori; someone who again almost understands, someone who annoys him but cares for him, someone like how he always imagined a brother, both in the best and worst ways.

And with this he makes Yokai friends. He finds Hinoe and Misuzu, the Chuukyuu and the Kappa, and so many more. He finds something a little more belligerent and precious in Nyanko-sensei, in Madara; someone, something, that stays for him, even as it wanders off to drink or eat, who teases him and complains to him, yet holds him so carefully in those vicious jaws.

Natsume finds love.

It's some time after this when he goes into a school bathroom, sees himself, and just stops.

He knew - _he knew _\- that his hair wasn't spun from silver and gold. He _knew _ that his eyes weren't growths of emerald amongst a pool of molten amber. Yet staring him in the face was an ethereal human boy of Yokai beauty.

In what kind of dream was his appearance no longer that of dead straw and pale lead hair, that of clinging mould and sun-bleached bark for eyes? He had always been an ugly, unnatural little brat, yet here he was. And his first thought was that the mirage was bewitching. So surely it was not him? Yet, when he reached up a trembling hand to his own cheek, still a little flushed with laughter, the rest pale like moonlight on a deep pond, the reflection did exactly the same thing. And suddenly it hit him.

Natsume wasn't an abomination. He wasn't completely wrong or broken or unwanted. Here, he had people who loved him, cared about him, wanted him. He could tell his secrets and have his privacy all he wanted. There were people who would protect him and cherish him, laugh with him and argue with him, all without casting him aside. Even though he was still a little damaged, quite a bit rough around the edges, he had a home. And for the first time, he was seeing that, and himself, truly. He wasn't entirely there yet, but as he stared at the young man in the mirror who looked genuinely content, a little part of him, buried somewhere deep in his chest, began to sing something bright and bubbling and beautiful. 

Natsume had a home. Natsume was loved.

"Natsu! Cooomee ooooon! We're going to get grey hairs waiting for you!" A grin rising unbidden to his face, Natsume spun on his heel and hurried out of the bathroom.

Natsume loved everything about his life right now. Even when Nishimura was whining.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a direct answer, KidWestHope16, my Natsume sees all three - he sees silver/green, gold and the mix. It varies. What he doesn't know, but I do, is that the more exposure he has to Yokai at any given time, the more the silver/green becomes prominent in his own eyes. This yokai-exposure-variation is only for looking at his own reflection though. The exorcists and Yokai have a set view, up to a point, that doesn't tend to vary like this.


	5. When The Light Flashes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another little idea that came to me randomly today as I was re-reading. Another AU-thing altogether, with another reason for why Natsume might have two separate appearances.
> 
> Happy Holidays! (PS: I'll probably edit this more later, or even add another chapter for more reactions/explanation, but I'll see!)

Natsume, Tanuma, Kitamoto and Nishimura had been down by the river all day. And, with the sun beaming down on them, the river sparkling in the background and holding freshly-caught fish in their hands, they were laughing and comparing their catches. Suddenly, Nishimura yelled,

"Guys, this way!" They all turned to face him, still grinning, sleeves and trouser legs rolled up, crouched by the water, only to be half-blinded by the flash of light that came from Nishimura's phone.

"Sorry, sorry, didn't realise the flash was on!" He laughed, turning to face them, then nearly fell over with the force of his ugly guffawing.

"OhmyG- OhmyGod your _faces_!" And now he's giggling, red-cheeked, on the floor, delighting in the shock and bewilderment that had slackened his three friends' expressions.

It isn't until nearly twenty minutes later, once they've all calmed down, despite the still-giggling Nishimura, when they finally get the chance to actually look at the group selfie. And, at first glance, everything is lovely and happy and normal. Except, it's not. Because Natsume - their golden boy, burnished and bright and bold in shades of amber and sunlight - is sporting sparkling silver hair, not too dissimilar to the river behind him, and eyes a brighter green than the grass on the opposite bank of said river.

"Wha-? Natsu, your hair, oh my Kami, your eyes-!" Nishimura cuts himself off, gaping in shock, no longer laughing. He's not the only one - all four of them are slack-jawed at the picture. After all, nobody else looks off: Tanuma has his usual dark hair and eyes, deep and thoughtful and kind; Nishimura's hair is light brown in the foreground, eyes crinkled at the corner with the force of his grin; Kitamoto's shorter bangs are no different to their usual mid brown, his face caught between surprise and calm happiness. 

It's only Natsume who is different. It always is.

"Uhm- I- I didn't realise- sorry- uhm-" He's stumbling over his words, a mortified flush rushing up his even-paler than normal cheeks. His hands are shaking, shoulders tense and rounded, somehow ducking away from them without even moving more than a few muscles. Like he's waiting for a blow.

"Natsu-"

"No, I'm sorry. I- I didn't mean to ruin your photo. I know it's ugly, I'm sorry- weird-"

"Shut up Natsume," Tanuma interrupts, tone soft and kind despite the potentially harsh words. Kitamoto and Nishimura exchange a worried glance beside him.

"It's fine, we don't mind. It looks really lovely," he goes on to reassure, his gentle tone matching the gentle hand that slowly raises to clasp a skinny shoulder, telegraphing each movement and gratified to see that Natsume didn't flinch as he so often would have previously.

"I- Are you _sure?" _ He falters, hesitates, then asks with a hint of plaintiveness behind the seemingly casual words. He seeks out each of his friends' faces, checking out their expressions and body language, carefully avoiding their eyes all the same. And to think, only half an hour ago, they had all been laughing with fish in their hands. The three of them fall over themselves to let him know, to make sure he understands, that '_yes, it's fine' _and '_no, of course they don't mind' _and _'it looks really cool Natsu, honest'. _The more they talk, the more half-gibberish they spew, the lighter that Natsume's shoulders seem to become and the more tension that drains from his muscles. Finally, Natsume takes a step backwards, eyes sparkling, and lets out a full-on belly laugh. He giggles and snorts and guffaws in the ugliest way and, after staring at him for a few seconds, his three friends join in. What else is there to do?

In case it wasn't obvious, Natsume's hair/eyes change colour when in a picture. From the anime golden hair/ amber eyes to the more Manga silver hair and green eyes. Growing up, it was very rare for his picture to be taken. As a young child, when his Dad was still alive, there were doubtless photos, but he has none of them to the present day. The only photo he has of his parents is from when his Mum was pregnant and therefore it doesn't have him in it. Nor does he have any pictures of Reiko, so who knows if she was the same?

As a young student, there were probably a few class pictures or the like. But Natsume never went on any of the trips, he rarely attended class outings or special days. None of his relatives ever cared enough to take and keep pictures of him. So, all in all, is it really a surprise that he never found out before now?


	6. With Every Night-time Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsume is a teenager, so it's natural for him to always be changing. In flux, if you will. But this amount of physical change is a bit much. Still, his friends and family love him all the same.
> 
> (Unfortunately, this doesn't feature Tanuma or Taki as I don't think they were introduced at this point of the series?)
> 
> (It took me over five months to write this chapter - who knows why, but I'm glad to finally be posting it!)  


Natsume had already been with them for a little while, albeit not long in the grand scheme of things, when he first _changed_. One morning he came downstairs, Nyankichi winding around his ankles as best as his rotund body would allow, and sat at the kitchen table. It takes a few seconds of his foster parents' staring before he feels their gazes and his head snaps up, something close to fear whiting out his face. He'd been hoping, expecting, that only those with Sight would be able to see the differences.

"T-Takashi-kun," Touko starts, trailing off, not knowing what to say. After all, what is there to say when your not-quite son comes downstairs looking completely different? Well, not completely different, she amends herself. Everything is the same but for his colouring. His already pale skin is white as paper; golden hair is now an ethereal shade of silver, like moonlight on snow; his burnished copper eyes are the biggest change for now that cat-like pupil is swimming in the most stunning shade of green that Touko has ever seen. It's like limes and grass and emeralds and more. Oh, she doesn't have the words for how beautiful that green is.

Taking over for his speechless wife, Shigeru lowers his newspaper to meet Natsume's wide eyes,

"Is everything alright Takashi?"

"Y-yes," he mumbles, a questioning lilt to the word that covers up the anxiety in his fidgeting hands and bitten lip.

"Then may I be the first to say that your new look is very flattering. And if you ever want some money for hair dye or the like, please just talk to us and we'll help you sort anything out."

"I- Um- It's not- Ah... Thank you Shigeru-san." And now he ducks his head, flushing bright red, looking simultaneously delighted, bewildered and uncertain. Unbeknown to his foster parents, he had been hoping that it would be a yokai-only thing, that only those with spiritual sight would be able to tell that his hair had turned silver overnight and the eyes that opened blearily were now crystal-clear green, rather than overcast amber. Regardless, that is that. Neither Touko-san nor Shigeru-san bring it up again - not that morning, nor when he gets home from school that afternoon, nor even the next morning. Had something like this happened at one of his previous homes, Natsume has no doubt that he would have been yelled at and forced out, in the very least. Some of them - too many of them to think about - would have slapped him or worse for something so conspicuous and weird as this.

Thank Kami he'd never found the book before.

* * *

Half-way to school that morning, feeling very skittish and wary - everyone can _see_, they can tell just how _wrong _he is - Natsume is murmuring questions to Nyanko-sensei, who is curled close in his arms as the teen trudges on.

"-but, Sensei, why would it change me like this? Did it ever do this to Reiko-san?"

"I don't know brat! I didn't follow her around! And she never gave any names back anyway; only ever took them."

"Still, I don't know what to-"

"Natsume!" The silver-haired boy whirls around at the sound of his friend's voice, fighting the urge to run away as fast as he can. If he doesn't face Nishimura now, he'll only have to do so at school instead, surrounded by other people.

"M-morning," he offers in return, staring at the ground. He supresses the instinctual flinch when his friend bounds into his personal space, crowing some unintelligible mix of syllables that sound weirdly positive. Does Nishimura...?

"You look so cool Natsume, I almost didn't recognise you from behind, but then I saw your bag and knew I was right!"

"Ah, uhm, yes-"

"And your eyes are really pretty! Well, they already were, but green's my favourite colour, so I'm biased towards this look instead!"

"Uhm, where's Kitamoto?"

"Oh, he's off sick. Nothing major, just a fever. But he's gonna be so sad he had to wait to see this!"

"R-really?" And if Natsume's voice is just a little too meek, too hesitant and vulnerable, then sue him, because he has rarely had friends before, and certainly never for any period of time, and most definitely not as boisterously kind as Nishimura or firmly considerate as Kitamoto.

"You bet! You know, I reckon that I'd look really good with blue hair? Like a navy or royal shade or something..." And as his friend rambles about different tones of blue, Natsume allows himself to smile, a small, soft little thing. Maybe things really will be alright.

* * *

Whispers follow Natsume throughout school that day. Yet not one sounds malicious. After so many years of fear, of picking up the subtlest of nuances in people's attitudes, the boy would know. And there is only something _positive_ that he isn't practiced enough in to identify. It's kind of like admiration, or amusement, or envy, yet none of those and still overwhelmingly something good, even if he only picks up on hushed voices at the edges of his hearing and flashes of kind smiles on faces that are already becoming more familiar. He doesn't understand it. He really, truly doesn't. And he forces himself to ignore it, to just continue through his day, dozing at his desk occasionally, unable to help himself after the exhausting night of returning his first name. He can't help but wonder if the silver and green will stay - if he's somehow broken himself further in the name of helping people and yokai.

The answer to that question is that the silver and green fade over the next day. He hastily fumbles for excuses - single day-use hair dye, given to him by an old friend, no brand, sorry, he doesn't know, rambling half-plausible thing after half-plausible thing, only shutting himself up when he realises that Shigeru-san and Touko-san are smiling indulgently at him rather than caring about his answer's specifics - and he is simply glad that the secondary appearance had worn away with little time. But then he returns more names, sometimes more than one a night, sometimes one during the day, and then he has to be extra careful, because with every name, his blond hair gives way to silver and his brown-gold eyes crack into emerald green. And, after varying hours or even days, the more ethereal colouring will yet again revert back to the more human. Eventually he stops trying to provide excuses, realising that nobody is really asking questions. For some reason that he is yet to understand, his current friends and family simply do not care. They seem to enjoy his little idiosyncrasies and whilst they clearly worry for him at times, it is _for _him, not the fact that they have to put up with him, and Natsume feels blessed. Here, in this sleepy little town, in the house of the Fujiwara's, at the side of his new friends, human and yokai alike, he has found a home like no other. A home where he is whole-heartedly loved and accepted, and where he can do so in return, where he can feel genuinely safe and settled; he couldn't be happier. A true home indeed. 


End file.
